at 27, the boy from hawaii seems to have it all. is it sort of a precarious being on top of the peak? >> i'm a happy dude, lee. the fact that i even get to feel this at this moment is enough. enough. >> reporter: he was born peter gene hernandez on the island of oauhu to a puerto rican father and a filipino mother. his dad nicknamed him bruno after a popular wrestler. bruno added mars years later. for him and his five siblings music was always the family business. >> my dad had this 1950s review show. very las vegas style. my uncle impersonated elvis. that was my favorite part of the show. >> reporter: even when you were two years old. >> even then. especially the young elvis like, girls were screaming for him. as a young kid, you're like i want that. >> reporter: so when his dad put bruno on stage, he did the only thing he knew. his mini-elvis was an instant hit. becoming so popular that little bruno was given a cameo in the movie "honeymoon in vegas." ♪ i can't help falling in love with you ♪ >> i became a real, real attention